Michigan heritage draft plan near finalizing

Corridor would be eligible for funds, tourism links

The draft management plan for the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor could become an official master plan by the summer.

That means the Buffalo historic corridor would be eligible for various state funds and would be linked to a statewide system of heritage tourism, said Karen Stanley Fleming, chairwoman of the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor Commission.

The update was presented during Monday’s regular business meeting of the heritage corridor commission.

As part of the update, it was reported that the Common Council held two mandatory public hearings on the draft last month and there were no major concerns or changes.

“There was no feedback,” said Laurence Rubin, attorney for the commission.

Rubin has completed and sent for approval an environmental review to City Hall and the state Office of Parks, Recreation & History Preservation.

He said he expects formal determinations to be returned in the next two months.

Barring any roadblocks or other problems associated with the environmental review, both the document and the draft management plan adopted by City Hall will be sent to the state parks office for approval, Rubin said.

The commission attorney also reported that Ellicott Council Member Darius G. Pridgen introduced “on his own” one of the key recommendations of the management plan to establish a moratorium on demolitions of properties in the historic corridor.

Pridgen’s resolution was adopted by the Council and sent to Mayor Byron W. Brown for approval.

Also during the board meeting, Stanley Fleming announced that Friday’s concert featuring opera singer Kathleen Battle at Kleinhans Music Hall raised $5,000 for the corridor.

The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra donated $2,500, which will be matched by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.

The next meeting of the corridor panel is scheduled for 1 p.m. April 8 in the Larkin at Exchange building in the city.